TC Mk2 RS - 330bhp - 300miles in 5 years....
Nov 22, 2018 11:33:01 GMT
Horney, atlex, and 5 more like this
Post by ecksjay on Nov 22, 2018 11:33:01 GMT
Bout time I had a build thread for this heap....
Bit of history. The car popped up on ebay many, many years ago, maybe 2013'ish, sporting a ghetto turbo kit and a very loose description of the overall car specification. Reportedly a forged engine build, T28R, splitfire coilpacks, ohlins coilovers, BBS RG's, some random modified OEM ecu (daughterboard, little twiddly knob on the dash that did... something), amongst a host of other stuff. Was a rubbish advert all in all and had issues noted with general running. The owner was a mature accountant who had used it regularly year on year at the nurburgring, and i did track his username down on pistonheads to discover a few issues he had with it over the years. It has probably been over in the uk about 5 years at that point and had done about 10k miles on the turbo/engine build, so it was well run in and proven reliable. Reportedly the power at the time was around 250bhp. Either way, I missed out on the car on ebay and got over it fairly quickly.
The car then popped up on Nutz with the new owner asking questions, a lovely young chap whom I very quickly messaged and asking about the car, specifically that I would take it if he ever wished to sell. After a few months, that happened, and he was kind enough to drive it to me in Essex from the north, as he was moving down this way anyway so it worked quite well. I managed to buy it for the same price it sold for on ebay.
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The car was very clean generally, the guy having given it a thorough polish etc. Sills good, no evidence of rust or anything untoward. Overall, a very clean shell.
The car was one of the weirdest mixtures of stuff i've ever seen. The history is a little unclear, but it appears that it was heavily modified in japan, then ended up in germany, then made it's way to the UK. at least, that's my best guess from the paperwork. In japan it had the majority of the parts fitted including the turbo kit (ghetto, tubular, bottom mount), a butchered downpipe of some sorts, the ecu etc. The engine was believed to have been built in japan also, which comprised quite a few TODA components (head gasket, kevlar cam belt, cams), Wiseco pistons, Carrillo rods etc etc. It did work, was quite rapid on the T28R and handled ok, but the clutch was slipping like an absolute bastard and there was an obvious crack in the downpipe with a big flap of metal sticking out. The ohlins were also clicking like mad, so had obviously pissed out the majority of their gas.
It needed work, so I laid it up planning to replace the turbo kit etc very simply with what was available at the time (Sturovo's early kits for those that remember). Life got in the way and I never really did much with it for a year, so it was left languishing in my yard. Numerous other mazdas came and went in the interim, including cars i've owned a few times. All in all, im at about 47 mx5's as of Nov 2018, so I've had a few....
Eventually I tried to throw the car back together (c. 2015-2016 I believe) with the new turbo kit, but the car wouldn't start. I assumed it was down to the crap ECU as I did try various sensor/equipment swaps with the other cars I owned. Never could get it running, so decided to just bite the bullet and send the whole car to M-Tech automotive in Wiltshire to get it sorted, fit a new ME221, do the clutch and everything else it may have needed. The intention was to do a quick once over, but as with all projects, this escalated somewhat and it remained at M-Tech for about 2-3 years having... pretty much everything sorted. I was in no particular rush so they helped me out by working on the car as and when they had the time, minimising the impact with the amount of works required. Adam who runs M-Tech is an absolute diamond geezer and I would recommend them to anyone.
The car went through numerous changes (which i'll probably list separately), evolving from a mishmatch of random stuff to a mishmash of....good random stuff. The turbo kit was sold and changed for a TD05 16G setup, new CC clutch and lightweight flywheel, mocal oil cooler, old intercooler replaced with new MTECH setup (and old chassis holes welded where pipework routed through), switch to original coilpacks as the splitfires arent compatible with ME221, replaced the BBS RG (16") with Advan ARS RR and AD08R's, Meisters replacing the ohlins, albeit with custom firmer rate springs including associated alignment, EV14 555cc injectors, new alternator/battery/belts, bespoke breather setup, few replacement OEM parts from a donor I broke and loads of other stuff I've forgotten about but will try to list.
During it's stay at M-Tech, the dyno results were as follows (these were separated by about 8-12months where small issues were resolved along the way):
First run - 302bhp, with slight misfire from the Splitfire coilpacks not really being compatible with the ME221
Second run - 313bhp, using OEM ignition system (coilpacks, leads) and original M-Tech intercooler pipework that is a mix of ali pipework and silicone elbows
Third run - 330bhp, using M-Tech's newer silicone intercooler pipework with no ali pipework, also strapped down less than the previous runs as they were a little wary of it, which was fun to hear
The torque figures on all runs were generally comparable with the bhp figures in lb.ft, so it kicks like an absolute mule. All runs were on the same boost figure of 1.1/1.2bar with nothing changing other than the intercooler pipework. These turbos will run 1.6bar all day long in the evo/subaru world, so there's plenty more in the turbo, if i'm brave enough.
The car came back to me very recently (September I believe) looking like it did above, as it hadn't had a clear in circa 2 years. Aesthetically it needs some TLC, but mechanically it is now the following specification:
Shell
Mk2 Roadster RS, non-ABS model (more unusual than ABS models from my experience, as I believe ABS was stock 'RS' spec so it would have had to be specified without it), c. 65k on the shell
Engine
1900cc BP engine with TODA HG, TODA cam belt, TODA cams, Wiseco pistons (oversize), Carrillo rods, Total seal rings, SPS-carr rod bolts, Clevite 77 bearings, ARP head studs, adjustable FPR, OEM ignition with ULTRA leads & NKG BKREI7 plugs, EV14 550cc injectors, ME221 ECU mapped by ME, Competition Clutch Stage4, Competition Clutch lightweight flywheel, Gulf Competition 5w40 oil
TD05 16G turbo, Blackcat manifold/downpipe, 2.5" custom exhaust from downpipe back (no cat), Mocal oil cooler, aluminium rad, aluminium catch can with custom breather setup,
Chassis
OEM 6-speed, ATS LSD (Quaife or Ashcroft, not clear which), Whiteline adjustable ARBs, Meister Zeta-S with custom rate springs, Cusco front strut brace, currently running OEM brakes with EBC yellow pads although have a set of HiSpec Billet4's to go on along with NBFL 270mm rear conversion, Advan ARS RR 15x7 ET32 wheels with Advan AD08R tyres (205/50/15)
Interior
TR-Lane roll bar, TR-Lane harness bar, Mazdaspeed Type-F drivers seat, Mazdaspeed instrument cluster, Garage Vary carbon cluster surround housing an AEM Wideband, Splitfire boost gauge, JASS uprated gear lever upper shift boot
I've yet to give it a proper clean (it needs a proper detail really), and i also have loads of other parts ready to go on including OEM aero parts (front splitter, skirts, spoiler) in black from a car i broke for parts, along with some other rare JDM type goodies as I am a bit of a hoarder. I also have quite a few other wheels I can use if needed as I've kept a load from cars ive broken for parts over the years.
I've tidied a few things up, fitted a few parts (new upper and lower shift boots, hard top, strut brace etc) and it's now looking a little better but still a work in progress...
Time has dragged on and i've barely driven the bloody thing, but now it's basically where I wanted it originally (albeit, 5 years later), I can get to enjoying it. Front bumper has been chopped to hell as can be seen, but i have a full replacement with OEM splitter to go on shortly along with a TDR lower splitter that should finish it off nicely.
Plans mechanically? Get used to it, up the boost, fit a 3" exhaust and see what the turbo does at 1.5bar. I'm expecting 350bhp+ but do like not having an exploded gearbox etc
Bit of history. The car popped up on ebay many, many years ago, maybe 2013'ish, sporting a ghetto turbo kit and a very loose description of the overall car specification. Reportedly a forged engine build, T28R, splitfire coilpacks, ohlins coilovers, BBS RG's, some random modified OEM ecu (daughterboard, little twiddly knob on the dash that did... something), amongst a host of other stuff. Was a rubbish advert all in all and had issues noted with general running. The owner was a mature accountant who had used it regularly year on year at the nurburgring, and i did track his username down on pistonheads to discover a few issues he had with it over the years. It has probably been over in the uk about 5 years at that point and had done about 10k miles on the turbo/engine build, so it was well run in and proven reliable. Reportedly the power at the time was around 250bhp. Either way, I missed out on the car on ebay and got over it fairly quickly.
The car then popped up on Nutz with the new owner asking questions, a lovely young chap whom I very quickly messaged and asking about the car, specifically that I would take it if he ever wished to sell. After a few months, that happened, and he was kind enough to drive it to me in Essex from the north, as he was moving down this way anyway so it worked quite well. I managed to buy it for the same price it sold for on ebay.
The car was one of the weirdest mixtures of stuff i've ever seen. The history is a little unclear, but it appears that it was heavily modified in japan, then ended up in germany, then made it's way to the UK. at least, that's my best guess from the paperwork. In japan it had the majority of the parts fitted including the turbo kit (ghetto, tubular, bottom mount), a butchered downpipe of some sorts, the ecu etc. The engine was believed to have been built in japan also, which comprised quite a few TODA components (head gasket, kevlar cam belt, cams), Wiseco pistons, Carrillo rods etc etc. It did work, was quite rapid on the T28R and handled ok, but the clutch was slipping like an absolute bastard and there was an obvious crack in the downpipe with a big flap of metal sticking out. The ohlins were also clicking like mad, so had obviously pissed out the majority of their gas.
It needed work, so I laid it up planning to replace the turbo kit etc very simply with what was available at the time (Sturovo's early kits for those that remember). Life got in the way and I never really did much with it for a year, so it was left languishing in my yard. Numerous other mazdas came and went in the interim, including cars i've owned a few times. All in all, im at about 47 mx5's as of Nov 2018, so I've had a few....
Eventually I tried to throw the car back together (c. 2015-2016 I believe) with the new turbo kit, but the car wouldn't start. I assumed it was down to the crap ECU as I did try various sensor/equipment swaps with the other cars I owned. Never could get it running, so decided to just bite the bullet and send the whole car to M-Tech automotive in Wiltshire to get it sorted, fit a new ME221, do the clutch and everything else it may have needed. The intention was to do a quick once over, but as with all projects, this escalated somewhat and it remained at M-Tech for about 2-3 years having... pretty much everything sorted. I was in no particular rush so they helped me out by working on the car as and when they had the time, minimising the impact with the amount of works required. Adam who runs M-Tech is an absolute diamond geezer and I would recommend them to anyone.
The car went through numerous changes (which i'll probably list separately), evolving from a mishmatch of random stuff to a mishmash of....good random stuff. The turbo kit was sold and changed for a TD05 16G setup, new CC clutch and lightweight flywheel, mocal oil cooler, old intercooler replaced with new MTECH setup (and old chassis holes welded where pipework routed through), switch to original coilpacks as the splitfires arent compatible with ME221, replaced the BBS RG (16") with Advan ARS RR and AD08R's, Meisters replacing the ohlins, albeit with custom firmer rate springs including associated alignment, EV14 555cc injectors, new alternator/battery/belts, bespoke breather setup, few replacement OEM parts from a donor I broke and loads of other stuff I've forgotten about but will try to list.
During it's stay at M-Tech, the dyno results were as follows (these were separated by about 8-12months where small issues were resolved along the way):
First run - 302bhp, with slight misfire from the Splitfire coilpacks not really being compatible with the ME221
Second run - 313bhp, using OEM ignition system (coilpacks, leads) and original M-Tech intercooler pipework that is a mix of ali pipework and silicone elbows
Third run - 330bhp, using M-Tech's newer silicone intercooler pipework with no ali pipework, also strapped down less than the previous runs as they were a little wary of it, which was fun to hear
The torque figures on all runs were generally comparable with the bhp figures in lb.ft, so it kicks like an absolute mule. All runs were on the same boost figure of 1.1/1.2bar with nothing changing other than the intercooler pipework. These turbos will run 1.6bar all day long in the evo/subaru world, so there's plenty more in the turbo, if i'm brave enough.
The car came back to me very recently (September I believe) looking like it did above, as it hadn't had a clear in circa 2 years. Aesthetically it needs some TLC, but mechanically it is now the following specification:
Shell
Mk2 Roadster RS, non-ABS model (more unusual than ABS models from my experience, as I believe ABS was stock 'RS' spec so it would have had to be specified without it), c. 65k on the shell
Engine
1900cc BP engine with TODA HG, TODA cam belt, TODA cams, Wiseco pistons (oversize), Carrillo rods, Total seal rings, SPS-carr rod bolts, Clevite 77 bearings, ARP head studs, adjustable FPR, OEM ignition with ULTRA leads & NKG BKREI7 plugs, EV14 550cc injectors, ME221 ECU mapped by ME, Competition Clutch Stage4, Competition Clutch lightweight flywheel, Gulf Competition 5w40 oil
TD05 16G turbo, Blackcat manifold/downpipe, 2.5" custom exhaust from downpipe back (no cat), Mocal oil cooler, aluminium rad, aluminium catch can with custom breather setup,
Chassis
OEM 6-speed, ATS LSD (Quaife or Ashcroft, not clear which), Whiteline adjustable ARBs, Meister Zeta-S with custom rate springs, Cusco front strut brace, currently running OEM brakes with EBC yellow pads although have a set of HiSpec Billet4's to go on along with NBFL 270mm rear conversion, Advan ARS RR 15x7 ET32 wheels with Advan AD08R tyres (205/50/15)
Interior
TR-Lane roll bar, TR-Lane harness bar, Mazdaspeed Type-F drivers seat, Mazdaspeed instrument cluster, Garage Vary carbon cluster surround housing an AEM Wideband, Splitfire boost gauge, JASS uprated gear lever upper shift boot
I've yet to give it a proper clean (it needs a proper detail really), and i also have loads of other parts ready to go on including OEM aero parts (front splitter, skirts, spoiler) in black from a car i broke for parts, along with some other rare JDM type goodies as I am a bit of a hoarder. I also have quite a few other wheels I can use if needed as I've kept a load from cars ive broken for parts over the years.
I've tidied a few things up, fitted a few parts (new upper and lower shift boots, hard top, strut brace etc) and it's now looking a little better but still a work in progress...
Time has dragged on and i've barely driven the bloody thing, but now it's basically where I wanted it originally (albeit, 5 years later), I can get to enjoying it. Front bumper has been chopped to hell as can be seen, but i have a full replacement with OEM splitter to go on shortly along with a TDR lower splitter that should finish it off nicely.
Plans mechanically? Get used to it, up the boost, fit a 3" exhaust and see what the turbo does at 1.5bar. I'm expecting 350bhp+ but do like not having an exploded gearbox etc
le sigh